Stern & Wild clients join 2026 DocFest jury line-up

Two Stern & Wild filmmakers have been announced as jury members for this year’s Sheffield DocFest which runs from 10-15 June. Derren Lawford and Paul Sng will both sit on the jury for the International First Feature Competition which this year features eight debut works from promising new voices.

The two award-winning filmmakers are set for a busy few days at the festival. A previous Sheffield DocFest board member, Derren is Exec Producer on the Nigerian political feature documentary MKO which is competing in this year’s International Competition (premiering 12 June at 8.45pm), while Paul, whose feature documentary TISH was the Opening Gala film at the 2023 Sheffield DocFest, will be in conversation with the festival’s 2026 Guest of Honour, Maxine Peake. The two will discuss how working-class voices are represented in the media and on screen in the age of populism. (The talk is scheduled for Saturday 13 June, 2:45pm - 4:00pm.)

Congratulations to Derren and Paul who, together with Stern & Wild filmmaker Alex Thomas, Guest Mentor for the 2026 Filmmaker Challenge, are sure to inspire a new generation of filmmakers at this year’s Sheffield DocFest. To read more about this year’s programme, click here.

The 2026 International First Feature Competition finalists